Midwest Adventuring
ISSUE 4 1
3
....... 6 | HARLESS + HUGH with words by Emily Watz and photographs by Julia Ross ....................... 12 | HUNTING LAKE SUPERIOR’S SHORES with words by Alyssa Johnson and photograph by Kyle Johnson ............................. 14 | FOXTAIL + MOSS STUDIO MAKEOVER with words by Claire Rose Staszak and photographs by Lauren Wendt .................................... 20 | JANE WUNROW with words and artwork by Jane Wunrow .................. .............. 28 | RAINBOW BAKERY with words by Lisa Dorazewski and Matt Tobey and photographs by Anna Powell Teeter and Shelly Westerhausen ................ 36 | DECONSTRUCTION with words and photographs by Jason Robinette.................. 44 | DOUGLAS & CO. DETROIT with words by Courtney Werner and photographs by Jesse David Green ..................... 50 | LIMINAL with words by Eric Ellis and photographs by Caitlin O’Hara ............... 56 | HEARTBREAK, LOSS, STIFF DRINKS + FRESH SMOKES with words by Taylor Killough and photographs by Anna Powell Teeter .......................... 66 | WHERE WE COME FROM with words and photographs by Sadie Dempsey ................... 72 | MIDWEST TASTEMAKERS Fall + Winter 2015 Edition ............ 76 | HOLIDAY TREATS with recipes and photographs by Sherrie Castellano, Leah Fithian, Teresa Floyd, Sonja and Alex Overhiser and Shelly Westerhausen ................. 94 | FOR ONCE, THEN, SOMETHING with words and prints by Kristy Hughes .......................................................
ISSUE FOUR | Fall + Winter 2015
CONTRIBUTORS Sherrie Castellano is a certified Health Coach, food writer and photographer based in St. Louis, Missouri. She writes the vegetarian and naturally gluten-free food blog, With Food + Love. Sadie Dempsey is a 24-year-old film photographer from Wisconsin. She spends her days taking photographs, adventuring and making zines at We Dream in Analogue. Lisa Dorazewski + Matt Tobey are natives of Ohio and Michigan respectively, but now call Bloomington, Indiana, home. They are trained artists, musicians and self-taught vegan bakers. Together they own and operate Rainbow Bakery. Shane + Melissa Douglas of Douglas & Co. Detroit started their company just over one year ago. With all of their manufacturing in Detroit, Michigan, they take pride in the Midwest. They focus on fine leather goods and lifestyle products. Eric Ellis was reared and molded by Indianapolis and Central Indiana. He graduated from Butler University in 2012. His works have previously been published in Indiana Science Fiction Anthology 2011 and Florida Speaks. He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and hopes to imbue the Sonoran Desert with some Midwest charm. Teresa Floyd is a professional pastry chef, freelance photographer, and food writer based in Kansas City, Missouri. She is the creator of Now, Forager, a food blog featuring seasonal pastries and confections. Jesse David Green is a photographer based in beautiful Detroit, Michigan. He tells stories of makers, business owners and couples in love in Detroit, Northern Michigan and around the country.
Kristy Hughes is an artist and printmaker based in Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana. She graduated with an MFA in printmaking from Indiana University in 2014, and is currently the 2015/16 artist in residence at the Stutz Artists Association in Indianapolis. She has a cactus named Cilantro and a gecko named Pepperoni. Alyssa Johnson is a Public Health student in Minnesota who loves to hike, bike and eat along the shores of beautiful Lake Superior. Kyle Johnson is a high school senior and amateur photographer born and raised in Northern Minnesota. Taylor Killough is a journalist, aspiring writer and radio maker. She’s an Illinois native who is currently spreading the good Midwestern word on the East Coast. She knows one day she’ll come back to her roots. Caitlin O’Hara was born overseas in Huddersfield, UK, but ventured to the Midwest as a child and grew up chasing fireflies in the Hoosier state. She graduated from Indiana University in 2014, and spent more time working on the Indiana Daily Student than doing coursework. Her photographs have been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Indianapolis Star. Sonja + Alex Overhiser are the husband-and-wife team who develop and photograph healthy, whole foods recipes published on their blog, A Couple Cooks. They are advocates of fresh, seasonal eating and home cooking, and live and work in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jason Robinette is a Chicago-raised, Brooklyn-based photographer. His main area of concentration is portraiture in the commercial, editorial and film fields.
He also continues to focus on personal work such as The Deconstruction Project featured in this issue. Julia Ross is a photographer based in the Midwest and travels the country in search of camp-inspired lifestyle photos. Claire Snarski + Lauren Wendt are Chicago-based friends who run the lifestyle blog Foxtail + Moss, an Internet destination for the design and DIY inclined. They also curate and host gatherings, workshops and events that focus on bringing together a creative community and supporting local and small makers and entrepreneurs. Claire Rose Staszak believes in the power of sanctuary. She helps clients connect to their personal vision of sanctuary, both material and spiritual, through her work designing interiors and teaching yoga. Claire shares interior design advice and inspiration on her blog, Centered by Design. Courtney Ruth Werner graduated with a major in psychology. She is a selftaught artist from San Diego, California, and enjoys writing, painting, interior design and composing music. When she isn’t creating, she enjoys meeting new people around the globe and gathering creative inspiration from their life stories. Emily Watz is a thoughtful designer with an affinity for plants. When she isn’t designing websites and brand identities for her clients, she’s getting lost in the clouds somewhere between the beaches along Lake Michigan and the coffee shops of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jane Wunrow has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and shops. In 2007, Jane received a B.F.A. from the College of Visual Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Hop on over to readdriftless.com to read more about these wonderful folks!
Shelly Westerhausen Creative Director Leah Fithian Creative Director Designer Anna Powell Teeter Editor
Harless + Hugh the New Old-Fashioned Way
words by Emily Watz photographs by Julia Ross
“My grandpa’s name was Harless Hugh Blair. He had eight children who were all entrepreneurs, so I grew up around that mentality. While I think it influenced me, what Harless + Hugh is truly about is the importance of family, intentional products and a healthy atmosphere for conversation.”
“Opportunity isn’t always going to be handed to you, you have to create your own opportunities.” I nod in agreement as Lyndsay Edmonds, owner of Harless + Hugh Coffee in Bay City, Michigan, tells her story of how she began the brand all the locals are talking about. We sit in a bright window nook in front of the shop. I’m eating a sticky bun, listening to Lyndsay explain the evolution of the coffee shop in between her sips of tea. It was a mix of traveling to other cultures, being disheartened by the ethos of Western medicine and coming back to her hometown that motivated Lyndsay to open up shop in downtown Bay City.
The mission of H + H is very apparent. I see the barista engaging in conversation at the counter with customers she knows by name. She’s preparing drinks from a medley of choices like roasts from a local roasting company, lattes made with homemade syrups and summer sodas. A couple walks in and gazes at the thoughtfully curated products on the open shelves. Drinking vinegars from Detroit, tea from an organic farm in Minnesota, hand-thrown mugs from a local potter, Soul Sister Studio.
The coffee shop is one branch of three that makes up the Harless + Hugh brand; Lyndsay owns the coffee shop, her mom runs Harless + Hugh Flea, a monthly market, and The Public House, their craft cocktail bar opening in 2016.
9
“Coffee is your little buddy in the morning that you contemplate your entire life over.�
11
I feel welcomed here as Lyndsay tells me the core reason she’s poured her heart into this venture, “Everyone has a story. There are so many layers to a person and I love learning what makes them who they are. Coffee is your little buddy in the morning that you contemplate your entire life over.”
“We’re going back to a simpler time instead of going to the mall or outsourcing from China,” Lyndsay tells me. “It’s an old-school mentality where you support your local neighbor and value their passion and quality pieces. I feed off of that passion.” Lyndsay waves goodbye to a regular. I notice the couple has decided on a sixpack of Michigan craft beers as they continue to the sitting room.
As I walk out the door on my way to the river, I feel renewed and energized with the knowledge that a resurgence of quality and intention is making its way into my hometown from a generous entrepreneur with strong roots in family, culture and conversation. Coffee may be the popular drink of choice, but after my visit to H + H, I believe it tastes better by the company you keep.
The utilitarian-styled space has multiple vignettes for intimate conversation, as well as larger spaces outfitted with reclaimed wood tables and benches for large groups that fun events bring in. The walls don a warm shade of black, leaving space for the eye to rest amidst the buzz of chatter and laidback tunes.
Harless + Hugh | 1003 Washington Ave, Bay City, MI 48708 | harlessandhugh.com 12
HUNTING LAKE SUPERIOR’S SHORES words by Alyssa Johnson photograph by Kyle Johnson
When I was young, my family would make an eight-hour trek to a family camp in Northern Wisconsin. Halfway through our road trip we would stop in beautiful Duluth, Minnesota, to spend the night and rest up for the next day of driving. Our hotel perched right on the shore of Lake Superior, we could practically hear the waves breaking from our beds. We would rise early in the morning and head out to the beach.
an agate. Now as an adult, I’ve picked myself up and moved to Duluth for college. Sometimes alone, sometimes accompanied, I still spend lazy afternoons combing the shores for agates and have now begun to include beautiful, tossed sea glass in my hunt. I never do find agates, but I have quite the collection of blue, green and white sea glass accompanied by interesting rocks and feathers of every shape and color.
It wasn’t a beach as you would likely imagine, but rather a beach covered in reddish-brown rocks that were buttery smooth from their travels at the bottom of the lake. My dad would set us out on a quest for the elusive agate every summer. Lake Superior agates are famous for their drab exterior but dazzling, striped and colorful interiors.
When I was young, it was the agate that was the ultimate reward for the hunt. I felt a sense of disappointment if we left the beach without making a discovery. However, now I realize that the time spent hunting for the agates was not in vain. It was time spent as a family, just simply enjoying being together.
We would wander with our eyes fixed upon the rocks, searching up and down the beach for most of the morning. I don’t think we ever left until one of us spotted and collected
It was easy and slow, and the memories are so cherished. It’s the hunt that is the reward. The peaceful, lapping waves and time spent together, working to nourish my soul.
FOXTAIL + MOSS STUDIO MAKEOVER words by Claire Rose Staszak of Centered By Design photographs by Lauren Wendt of Foxtail + Moss
process as a problem solving process. Identifying the issues within your current space will give you direction and a jumping off point from which to start designing.
When Midwestern lifestyle bloggers Foxtail + Moss (Lauren Wendt and Claire Snarski) needed a refreshed studio space that better represented their personal style and growing brand, they turned to Centered by Design (Claire Staszak), a local designer with a penchant for globally inspired interiors and passion for personal sanctuaries.
It is helpful to put parameters around the project to narrow down all possible outcomes. Once you know the issues, you can then imagine and implement design solutions.
The rented studio space, located in the industrial chic West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, had several design limitations and challenges. But that did not stop these DIY women from getting creative and ultimately designing the perfect work and play space.
Coming up with the correct solution for the project or space can take some serious brainstorming, but that is when inspiration boards, Pinterest, magazines, etc. will come in handy. If you know the problem you are trying to solve, you’ll be more apt to notice when you come across a possible solution!
First, it’s important to see the design
16
PARAMETER 1
Keep the walls white. No paint! (Landlord’s orders) Design Solution: Add pops of color everywhere else! Use bright textiles, plants, painted furniture and colorful window frames to add necessary hue.
PARAMETER 2
Anything hanging on the walls needs to be versatile and easily removable. Design Solution: My favorite DIY project of the makeover! We constructed a dowel and leather rack to display Claire and Lauren’s favorite rugs and blankets. They can swap out textiles depending on the season or their mood and it creates such a gorgeous focal point! And with minimal attachment to the wall, it’s easy to take down or move for studio photo shoots.
PARAMETER 3
Establish a dedicated work area and a defined hangout space. Design Solution: The studio is a fairly small room, long and narrow, so I had to get creative with the arrangement of furniture. I separated the desks from the hang out space and further created a “lounge feel” by adding a curtain and lantern above the sitting area. It completed the look and gave the space its own identity.
PARAMETER 4
Stick with a bohemian vibe while staying within a modest budget. Design solution: To play up a laid back, bohemian vibe, I brought in vintage and artisan-made textiles, unique accessories and lush plants from two of my favorite local vendors with global outlooks, Territory Designs and Alapash New Home. We sourced vintage and inexpensive (e.g. Ikea®) furniture. Real life confession: the bookshelf and rattan settee were both alley finds we brought back to life. We even found those amazing mid-century brass legs in the trash! Local vendor MegMade painted the bookshelf in custom Farrow and Ball colors.
19
SUPPLY LIST wooden dowel from hardware store (we used 1” x 72” hardwood round)
leather strips from craft store
(we used 1.5” x 42” cut to desired length)
DIY GUIDE
brass wood screws with matching brass washers
TEXTILE WALL HANGER
power drill
(depending on your wall, you may also need drywall anchors)
INSTRUCTIONS Determine the best location for your dowel. Measure from the floor up, making sure your marks for your leather strip holes are level and even. Pre-drill your holes into the leather strips and your wall. Be sure to use the correct size bit for the screws you’ll be using. Place screws through washers and fasten the folded leather strips to the wall, creating the loop to hold the dowel in place. Place your dowel through the leather holders and hang your favorite textiles! Please note that not all walls are suitable for this project, depending on age and construction.
SUPPLY LIST ½” copper pipe from hardware store macramé or twisted cotton rope 2 screw hooks, weight and size appropriate level plants in hanging baskets
INSTRUCTIONS Assess the width and height appropriate for your copper bar. Have the copper pipe cut to size at hardware store if necessary. Be sure to keep in mind the weight of the plants you are planning on hanging. Estimate the yardage and thickness of cotton rope you’ll need based on your ceiling height and plant weight. Locate the nearest ceiling joist to where you want to hang your hook. The easiest way to locate a ceiling joist is to use a stud finder. Make sure to evenly space and securely fasten your screw hooks onto the ceiling. Thread cotton rope through the pipe and secure with knots onto screw hooks, using your level to make sure your copper bar is straight. Hang your favorite plants! Please note that not all ceilings are suitable for this project, depending on age and construction.
DIY GUIDE COPPER BAR PLANT HANGER
JANE WUNROW interview by Anna Powell Teeter with Jane Wunrow artwork by Jane Wunrow
Tell us a little about your work. My current work is based on dreams that I’ve had. I keep a dream journal and when I’m working, I’ll go through and choose to interpret one that I feel most connected to at the time. My work is not about the literal representations of my dreams, but the more surreal and abstract interpretations
of them. It’s more about the feelings that the dreams elicit. I explore the ever-present fluidity of our physical being with the mystical and the divine. Influenced by personal dreams and visions, my artwork acknowledges the influence culture has on constructing an individual’s identity and in contrast, the potential to discover our purpose beyond ourselves.
22
One of my first collage pieces (Feeble Hands, Weak Knees) was done more on a whim. I remember saying to myself, “Here we go.”
Describe your process and the juxtaposition of still image and hand-drawn illustration. With collage I enjoy taking an image and slicing it up and rearranging the pieces to create something new, similar to what I did with my earlier illustrations. But because the pieces are based on dreams, the process is so much more about the feeling of the work.
I began by creating a detailed illustration of a horse and then cutting it up and juxtaposing it with still images of black-and-white rock formations. The rock formations have become a sort of foundation of my work. What does a typical day in your studio look like?
I love adding hand drawn elements to keep my personal touch. I find the detailed and repetitive line making soothing, and a space where the viewer can get drawn in and lost within the image. I also use charcoal, marker, gouache and graphite in my pieces. It’s really a delicate layering process.
Conceptually it begins when I wake up and my husband and I begin the day by sharing the dreams we had from the night before. As a stay-at-home mother of three, the actual “studio” part begins when my husband comes home from work and I have the opportunity to go out and work on art at a local coffee shop.
Through the process of dismembering images and juxtaposing them with illustrations of overgrowth, I am revealing our potential to transcend our physical world and instead embrace a divine metamorphosis, an eternal unity.
I transport my “mobile studio,” as I call it. This consists of materials that are small, easy to carry, and that can quickly dry since I am simply passing through the space.
How did you get started in this type of mixed media?
How has living in Minnesota inspired you and your work?
To be frank, I never thought I would end up working in this medium. In college, I studied drawing and painting and my thesis was in fabric sculptures, so illustration and collage has only been something I started exploring over the last few years. It was a slow process artistically discovering this new method to relate my concepts.
I appreciate the rich colors that Minnesota has to offer. Its lush greens, deep blacks in the dirt and the raw challenges that the outdoors brings through its seasons. My fellow Minnesotans’ resilience to the seasons impresses me. I love thinking how that strength can inspire me.
25
Do you plan to continue this work in 2016, or do you have a new project in mind? Yes, however, I plan to push the scale of my work, which comes up with its own shifts and challenges. I am also looking at new material choices and playing with more collaged images of textures to create more abstract and less literal pieces. I will be doing some collaborative work with a few photographers to produce images that I will use for my collages. I’m really excited to see how this more direct interaction with the creation of the images influences the concepts within my art. How do you spend your time when you aren’t working? Loving on my girls. My husband and I take them out on adventures hiking along the Mississippi or traveling to the North Shore. We like to get out and experience nature. Where can people learn more about and purchase your work? They can follow my Instagram account (@jane_wunrow) as well as my website (janewunrow.com). And people can always feel free to shoot me an email (jane.wunrow@gmail.com) if they have any questions or just need to be encouraged about their own work. My joy is to love and encourage people.
Jane Wunrow | janewunrow.com
RAINBOW BAKERY interview by Shelly Westerhausen with Lisa Dorazewski and Matt Tobey of Rainbow Bakery photographs by Anna Powell Teeter and Shelly Westerhausen
exploratory, noncommittal, glory days. At the time Rainbow was conceived, whether we knew it then or not, we were both itching for a way to take ownership of our skills. Matt was finishing up school, but not necessarily intending on pursuing the recording business; I was creating recipes and baking in an environment where someone else was profiting off of my ideas. I think we both felt a little stuck.
Starting at the beginning, can you tell us a little bit about how Rainbow Bakery came to be? You would think this would be the easiest question to answer, but it’s not at all. I should start off by saying that Rainbow wasn’t a lifelong dream or career goal for either of us. We both went to school to study things other than culinary arts or business; I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in metalsmithing and ceramics, and Matt has a Bachelor of Science in audio engineering.
I suppose for me personally, there was an “ah-ha!” moment where I was just like, “I can do this on my own terms.” So that’s what we decided to do. We didn’t really have a plan, but we knew that together our super-attentive, meticulous and wild minds could create a vibrant and unique space for all to enjoy.
As creatives, we had both spent a lot of time floating around in our early twenties, whether it was playing music on tour or trying out different jobs. Coincidentally, we both worked as vegan bakers during a stretch of
31
32
All treats are vegan or gluten-free. What sparked keeping the bakery strictly vegan and catering to non-traditional diets? An all-vegan bakery was a no-brainer for us because we’re both vegan ourselves. I know a lot of people who eat alternatively by choice or out of necessity (myself included) seek out their options with vigor. Even with plant-based diets coming pretty hard into the mainstream, it can be really challenging to eat out. It’s a honed skill, for sure. As someone who’s had to hunt for food options while traveling, I know that discovering an all-vegan place feels like winning the lottery. To simultaneously offer a destination for those seeking it out
and a gateway for skeptics to explore is really special to us. The shop is as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious with retro decor and plants that greet you upon walking in. What has inspired your retro style and how has it become infused in your baked goods? The look of the bakery is definitely a curated extension of our personal styles, which is something I’ve always had a hard time defining. I would say the inspiration is equal parts grandmas, art school, a 1960s classroom and a green thumb. We also watched a lot of Mad Men.
Pairing a bit of nostalgia with the playfully strange, yet somehow keeping it cohesive is always my ultimate design goal. When presented with this blank canvas, we pledged to take extra care with every facet of the space and tried to bring little bits of magic into the experience.
What has been the most rewarding part about owning Rainbow? For us, the ultimate compliment is when someone considers Rainbow to be their “special place.” Whatever that might mean to them. There are little kids who call Rainbow Bakery their favorite place to go. We’ve had people tell us “this is the only place I can get any writing done.” Many of our customers have been coming weekly (or more often) basically since we’ve opened.
Often times that translated into seeking out and repurposing mid-century goods because they’re the only inanimate objects I’ve known to elicit warm joy. That method of styling definitely shines through in the baked goods, too: spin the classics and keep it familiar, but add something unknown and probably a pop of color.
We tried to create a space that was comfortable to be in for all types of people. Kids and grad students. Introverts and chatty socialites. Of course the baked goods are central to the Rainbow Bakery experience, but when it goes beyond a simple transaction, that’s when we feel like we did something right.
It’s very apparent that you two are very proud of Bloomington, Indiana, with monthly local artist showcases and local celebrity cat portraits lining your walls. Why Bloomington for your bakery?
Which treat do you recommend for the firsttime customer? Do you have a favorite? What is the most popular baked good you have?
Yeah, Bloomington is pretty great. Neither of us are from Indiana, but we ended up here after finding kinship and inspiration in the punk scene many years ago. We made connections here and feel most at home in the Midwest, and have settled here for the time being. Besides planting roots, the bakery was born here to fill a void ... believe it or not, we were the first allvegan business in this little granola town!
Folks tend to gravitate towards the donuts, so I’d say that’s a good starting point for anyone new to our fare. Our donuts are baked, not fried, and made from ingredients that won’t leave you feeling terrible after eating them (in moderation, of course). Plus, we make eight different flavors everyday that range from comfortably classic to adventurously inventive, so there’s something for every palette. Besides the donuts, people really freak out over our gluten-free oatmeal cream pies.
What kinds of challenges come with running a bakery? Oh man. Everything. Can I say everything? Everything. The biggest challenge is working harder than you ever thought you could work for longer than you ever thought you could work and only having yourself to answer to.
Matt’s favorite, without hesitation, is the maple bacon donut. I have a harder time picking favorites because I really do love them all. Between you and me, the lavender cake is my baby. Floral forever!
Second biggest challenge is not eating all the sweets.
Rainbow Bakery | 201 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN 47404 | rainbowbakery.net 36
37
DECONSTRUCTION words and photographs by Jason Robinette
This series of images documents structures just prior to and during their demolition. These photographs capture a transient time where the past life and inherent death of each structure is simultaneously apparent. Whether it’s the iconic Fannie May chocolate factory, or a location that held the Olympic Trials from the 1920s, these spaces resonate with Chicago history. Standing within these environments, one’s mind cannot help but drift off and begin to imagine what these places were like when fully alive. At the same time, the state of these structures as they are being demolished is intriguing in its own right. The photographs show a unique and sometimes gloomy perspective of what will soon be lost forever. They illustrate the life and inevitable death that most structures face in our ever-changing, modern, urban environment.
Jason Robinette | jasonrobinette.com 39
40
42
43
44
DOUGLAS & CO. DETROIT words by Courtney Werner photographs by Jesse David Green
A studio, tucked neatly away in the oldest existing neighborhood in Detroit, has lived to see an exorbitant amount of tenants. In and out tenants have been coming for decades. And, with each new lease, the studio is transformed.
From start to finish, every item is created and shipped with the consumer in mind. Integrity and functionality are the primary aims of founders Shane and Melissa Douglas. As such, this company boasts a limited production run of less than 20-50 items of each piece they produce — a unique way to ensure originality.
Having humble beginnings as an art studio, this loft has most recently become the headquarters of Douglas & Co. Detroit, a handmade leather goods manufacturer.
47
48
Much like the city they have chosen to live in and love, Shane and Melissa embody the characteristics of resilience and determination, drawing inspiration from the lives around them. Shane works a full-time job and is the primary leather craftsman alongside Melissa, who has chosen to shift focus from her personal artistic endeavors in order to run the business full-time. They believe in what they are doing and their time and energy reflects this. In fact, some nights you might find them dining in their art studio enjoying the mischievous studio cat, Basil.
As a couple, it’s important for them to remain connected, so they carve out space to ensure this. Their business has provided additional connecting points throughout the week to support not only each other, but also their beloved city. It isn’t everyday that you get to see a couple working so closely together. So how did this all begin? While Shane lived an explorative childhood in Guatemala, Mexico and Russia, he ended up coming back to his hometown of Detroit where he met the ever-creative and innovative Melissa. Their love story, however, is far from basic.
The Douglas duo began their marital bliss with an appearance in the Detroit News for their unorthodox choice of wedding venue. To tie the knot, they were married in an abandoned church. What some doe-eyed couples would have overlooked as outdated, they viewed as an opportunity — an idyllic space for their memorable and sacred day. It is no wonder, then, that the same passion and optimism is evident in the production of their leather products. To Shane and Melissa, it isn’t just a product; it’s the beginning of a story, a
story that features the consumer’s ability to greet the world with the help of a functional and beautiful piece of hand-stitched leather. Ever since the birth of their company in November of 2014, each item has been cut, stitched and packaged with the utmost care. The couple’s value for integrity is infused within the unique and handmade leather goods. Their dedication to small production is timely, but the outcome is a long-lasting product that will be enjoyed by the owner through the many seasons of life.
For Shane and Melissa, every part of the creative process is meaningful. This outlook is clearly evident in the simplistic, yet durable, design of their Tuck & Sew bag. Keeping things simple enables them to continuously produce a product that most resembles their lifestyle and love of Detroit. Through and through, Douglas & Co. is consistent with their desire to create things that will make a lasting impact.
Douglas & Co. Detroit | douglasandcodetroit.com 51
LIMINAL a collaborative storytelling project words by Eric Ellis and photographs by Caitlin O’Hara
Liminal began as a way for Eric Ellis and Caitlin O’Hara to approach their desire to collaborate within their respective disciplines while being in vastly different spaces — living in different cities and, while Caitlin was reporting in South Korea, different countries. Because of its literary definition — to be at an initial stage or being on both sides of a threshold — liminal was the perfect term to delineate an allusion of two young professionals at the beginning of their careers. Liminal is a kind of art therapy not only for its creators, who also cope with mental illness, but for its viewers as well.
Check out the rest of Issue 4 by pre-ordering your copy over at
readdriftless.com/shop Thank you so much for taking the time to discover and support